Jamal Johnson enters his third season as men's and women's Mansfield track and field coach in 2022-23.
In his first season, Johnson lead the men's track and field team to their highest finish as a team (7th) with 37 points, with two PSAC Champions and four All-Conference finishes. Johnson helped guide Sean Ringgold to the first PSAC Champion sprinter since 2012 in the 200-meter dash and a runner-up spot in the 400-meter dash. Javilin thrower Rob Robbins claimed the other PSAC Championship. and 800 runner Christain Tanner finished 3rd in that race.
In his short time at Mansfield, he guided Mountie Athletes to four new Indoor school records. and Multiple top 10 all time finishers.
Johnson brings extensive experience in sprints, hurdles and jumps and will compliment cross country head coach Mike Rohl, who will lead the distance groups.
“Jamal represents a wonderful opportunity to move the men’s and women’s track and field program forward,” explained Director of Athletics Peggy Carl. “His strength in coaching the sprints, hurdles, and jumps will serve to complement our existing staff and will help to grow the program. His experience building a program from the ground up is what made his candidacy so exciting to the committee. His ability to recruit talented student-athletes and to help those student-athletes achieve at the highest levels will be exciting to watch. I look forward to working with Jamal in his new role as our head men’s and women’s track and field coach and know our student-athletes will as well.”
“I want to express my gratitude for Jon Mark Hall, Mike Hillyard, and the athletes of the University of Southern Indiana track program for having faith in me and giving me an opportunity to start my professional career,” Johnson said. “With that being said, I couldn’t be more excited for this next chapter in my life. From my first contact with Peggy Carl, I knew that this was a place I wanted to work. The Mansfield community has welcomed me with open arms and I'm very eager to begin to restore prominence to the Track & Field programs. Go Mounties!”
Johnson joins the Mountaineers after spending the previous four years as the assistant cross country and track and field coach at the University of Southern Indiana.
Johnson immediately made his impact felt on the Screaming Eagles’ campus when he recruited the program’s first ever non-distance event class in school history. Under Johnson’s guidance, seven individuals and three relay teams scored at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships.
In 2020, Johnson oversaw the Screaming Eagles’ first NCAA National qualifier and All-American sprinter Zach Barton, who as a freshman qualified for the 60-meter dash Nationals before being named to the All-American Team.
During his time at USI, Johnson’s sprinters and jumpers totaled 33 top-five marks in program-history, while leading 13 students to school records. Johnson was able to transition multiple athletes into top performers at events they had not competed in before attending USI.
Johnson describes himself as, “A young, studious, and diligent coach whose eagerness to succeed is unwavering. My ambition is to build and lead a group of student-athletes to their apex academically, athletically, and professionally.”
Johnson started his coaching career in 2014, where he was the head track and field coach at Wayne Memorial High School and the founder/head coach of Intensity Track Club. During that time, Johnson mentored the Michigan state record holder for boys 400-meter dash (46.29) and led the 2017 Intensity 100- and 200-meter dash girls sprinters to an AAU National Championship with times of 11.61 and 23.5, respectively. Numerous of Jamal’s athletes qualified and competed at the AAU Junior Olympics from 2014-17.
Jamal was a volunteer assistant track and field coach at Wayne State University during the fall of 2016, where he implemented training programs for short and long distance sprinters.
Native of Detroit Mich., Johnson received his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education and minor in coaching from Eastern Michigan University.
Jamal earned his certification in sprints/relays and strength and conditioning from the United States Track and Field Cross Country Association.
